Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Sets New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $31.16 and last traded at $30.74, with a volume of 1028241 shares. The stock had previously closed at $29.37.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, December 13th. B. Riley raised shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $26.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Monday. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 target price (up from $25.00) on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a research report on Thursday, September 26th. JMP Securities boosted their price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $27.30.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Up 5.0 %

The stock has a market capitalization of $4.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 308.33 and a beta of 1.07. The business has a 50-day moving average of $26.59 and a 200-day moving average of $23.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 2.61 and a current ratio of 3.22.

Insider Transactions at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In other news, CFO Deanna H. Lund sold 6,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.96, for a total transaction of $137,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 273,881 shares in the company, valued at $6,288,307.76. This trade represents a 2.14 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Thomas E. Iv Mills sold 6,603 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.88, for a total value of $164,282.64. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,848 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $593,338.24. The trade was a 21.68 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 104,886 shares of company stock worth $2,809,800. 2.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in KTOS. American Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 12.8% in the 3rd quarter. American Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,694,948 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $62,792,000 after buying an additional 305,925 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 12.2% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,798,859 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $70,951,000 after purchasing an additional 304,088 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. acquired a new position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the 3rd quarter worth $6,310,000. Driehaus Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 51.5% during the 2nd quarter. Driehaus Capital Management LLC now owns 721,543 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $14,438,000 after purchasing an additional 245,422 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC increased its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 6.1% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,032,888 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $93,966,000 after purchasing an additional 233,051 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.92% of the company’s stock.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc operates as a technology company that addresses the defense, national security, and commercial markets. It operates through two segments, Kratos Government Solutions and Unmanned Systems. The company offers ground systems for satellites and space vehicles, including software for command and control, telemetry, and tracking and control; jet-powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles, and rocket systems; propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, spacecraft, and launch systems; command, control, communication, computing, combat, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance; and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, and satellite; counter unmanned aircraft systems, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual and augmented reality training systems for the warfighter.